Truffle Kerfuffle 2013

So I’ve just devoured the last serving of wild mushroom risotto I made last week and topped off with freshly shaved Manjimup truffle… which reminded me that I have all these photos from our hunting expedition! Good times 😉

Truffle Kerfuffle is an annual event taking place at Fonty’s Pool in our Southern Forests region, just outside of Manjimup. The event recognises the mighty truffle that is celebrated as a chef’s delicacy the world over, and Manjimup currently produces somewhere near 90% of Australia’s truffles. It was a number easy to believe as we tip toed through the French oak forest, terrified of disturbing any semi mature truffles which were literally popping from the ground around us. We left the gorgeous golden Labrador Lola to sniff out those that were ready to be dug up. The truffle hunt was a great and very informative experience and I would recommend it to anyone with a taste for the expensive little lumps!

Here’s a few shots from the day spent down south with my mum at Manjimup Wine and Truffle Co…

🙂

My truffle! I took this 4g baby home to experiment with for $10… stealing one would have been too easy but I just don’t have the heart for it!

Next year’s truffles… spores on the root of a French Oak

Mum’s finds

Pink streamers mark the spots where Lola has smelt truffle…

Lola waiting patiently for a treat after a successful find

Mum digging out a small family of Black Perigords which often grow in groups around the roots of an oak

My mum assessing the scent of her find 🙂

Demonstrating a ‘pick test’ which displays the veins on a black perigord truffle

Truffle Hunter Adrian Mielke explaining how to determine a good truffle from a bad one

Truffle Hunter Adrian Mielke showing the veins of a perfect Black Perigord truffle to a visitor